NFU calls for “huge spectre” of cross compliance to be cut down to size

The NFU has called on the European Union to reduce the "huge spectre" of cross compliance by ensuring equality and fairness for farmers across all member states.

The call came as the NFU, together with farming unions from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, submitted its submission for the cross compliance review.

Under Single Payment Scheme regulations the EU is required to review the regime in 2007 and the NFU has raised a number of issues including:

· The future delivery of cross compliance to ensure equality among member states and the reduction of any competitive distortions, including a level playing field for Good Agriculture and Environmental Condition standards

· Site specific solutions considered for additional compliances such as the Water Framework Directive

· Inspections carried out in good time, with 'failure' reports prepared promptly including deadlines set for copies to be sent to farmers

· Farmers given a week's notice before inspections, informed of any non-compliance immediately and given the chance to put things right before a full non-compliance is recorded

The NFU's submission also urged for penalties to be kept in proportion to the breach rather than based on the size of the farm and its single payment total.

NFU vice president Paul Temple said: "Farmers already face increasing costs and administrative burdens under cross compliance but the NFU has even more fundamental concerns about its legislative framework and its impact on farming practice.

"Cross compliance has taken on the dimensions of a huge spectre that hangs over every SPS claimant and bedevils even the simplest agriculture operation. It has grown from an instrument that seeks to ensure good agricultural practice to one that increasingly prescribes agricultural activities and precludes flexible land use."